arbellastuart:Lady Arbella Stuart, born in late 1575 (most likely at Lennox House, in Hackney), was
arbellastuart:Lady Arbella Stuart, born in late 1575 (most likely at Lennox House, in Hackney), was the daughter of Charles Stuart, Earl of Lenox, younger brother of Lord Darnley. This earl was, through his mother, the grandson of Margaret, the eldest sister of Henry VIII, by her second husband, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus.Arbella stood in the line of succession to the English throne next to her first cousin James. When Elizabeth’s age made a speedy vacancy probable, there were some persons in England who argued that her title was preferable even to that of James, as she was born on English soil. A little before Elizabeth’s death Arbella was arrested by the queen’s orders in consequence of a rumour that a marriage was planned between her and William Seymour, the grandson of Catherine Grey, the heiress of the Suffolk line. James, however, succeeded peaceably, and treated Arbella with favour as a kinswoman, disbelieving the idle rumours which accused her of taking part in the plots of Cobham and Raleigh.On 2 Feb. 1610, Arbella became actually engaged to William Seymour, whose descent from the Suffolk line made him specially an object of jealousy to James. She and Seymour were summoned before the Privy Council, and declared that he would never marry her without the king’s consent. On this Arbella was again taken into favour, but early in July the couple were privately married. The secret was not kept, and on the 9th Arbella was committed to the custody of Sir T. Parry, and her husband to the Tower. On 13 March 1611, she was put under the charge of the Bishop of Durham, to be carried by him to Durham. She appealed in vain for a writ of habeas corpus. On 16 March she was removed in a condition of physical prostration, and was allowed to rest at Barnet for a month. When the month was over, she protested she could not travel. On 4 June she escaped in man’s apparel, got on board a French vessel in the Thames, and sailed for Calais. She was captured in the Straits of Dover, brought back, and lodged in the Tower. Seymour was more successful, and landed safely at Ostend. Arbella remained a prisoner in the Tower till her death on 25 Sept. 1615. [x] [x] -- source link
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